Interfering with the Pathologic Activation of Microglial Cells and Astrocytes in Dementia

Cascading glial cell activation is believed to play an essential pathogenic role in the development of dementia. Reactive microglia may contribute to neuronal damage by the generation of free oxygen radicals and nitric oxide (NO), which forms the particularly aggressive peroxynitrites, and by the release of potentially neurotoxic cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The pathologically stimulated release of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) from microglial cells triggers secondary activation of astrocytes, which are forced to proliferate and to give up their differentiated state. As a consequence, physiologically required astrocyte functions may be impaired, such as uptake of glutamate and K+ from the extracellular space and release of neurotrophic factors. At the same time, production of inflammatory proteins which, for example, promote the formation of toxic beta-amyloids, is reported to be stimulated in reactive astrocytes. Because the complex molecular signaling that controls glial cell activation is only beginning to be elaborated, we attempted to elucidate the role that has been adopted during evolution by the endogenous cell modulator adenosine. This nucleoside exerts a homeostatic effect on reactive glial cell functions by a sophisticated control of the second messenger interplay, counteracting a pathologically induced dysbalance of the Ca2+- and cAMP-dependent signaling. A strengthening of the cAMP-dependent signaling chains was found to counteract the proliferation rate, the formation of free oxygen radicals, and the stimulated release of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in cultivated microglia. It also helped proliferative astrocytes to regain their differentiated state and a mature ion channel pattern. The cAMP-linked homeostatic adenosine effects could be reinforced or mimicked by propentofylline, a pharmacon that raises the effective extracellular concentration of adenosine by inhibiting its cellular reuptake and increases the cellular cyclic nucleotide content by selective phosphodiesterase inhibition. We conclude that a pharmacologically reinforced homeostatic control of the pathologically altered Ca2+/cAMP crosstalk may prevent glia-related neuronal damage, providing a potential option for the treatment of dementia.